Connections, Money and Secrets [Almaz]

[Daniil]

Much of Almaz’s decorations from the main level matched the tone of this private room. Daniil gave the suite a cursory study, trailing a finger along the back of a leather chair. What came away on his skin was tolerable, he decided and circled the seat to place himself upon it. An attractive young woman placed his drink on the adjacent table, but as soon as Daniil sniffed the liquid, he cleared his throat loudly. She turned back as he said, “this is wrong. I ordered crushed ice not cubed, and—“ he took a small sip, his lips curling with disgust. “—And the bitters are wrong.” When he thrust the drink on the table, it sloshed over the side.

“I am so sorry, sir.”

“Mr. Tarasovich,” he corrected as he smoothed the lines of his suit jacket. She glanced up, pausing upon the recognition of his name only briefly, hurriedly finished cleaning the table in order to see to the incorrect drink.

Upon arriving at Almaz, he vaguely assumed Ms. Asquith would meet him at the entrance. Instead, Daniil was escorted to her personal suite and told she would arrive momentarily. The least they could do was make sure his drink was as he ordered it, he mused.

Since he was alone, he occupied himself by going to the window and peering down upon the center fighting ring. From this vantage, the audience would see him, a solitary, important figure, looking out, and he would have the best view of the bloody spectacle to come. A slim smile touched his lips in the interim. He was quite eager to see what she had in store.